A MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD CHAIR
A New Year and a New Vision for
Workplace Well-being
Happy New Year to our WWCMA community!
Oh, how far we’ve come, and what we’ve learned through our first 10 years together!
We celebrate the work of so many who have helped advance our mission over the years — our members, volunteers, board members, sponsors, partners, and all of those who have been part of our community in some way.
WWCMA was born out of a strong desire of a handful of people, myself included, who were passionate about the field, and wanted a way to connect and learn from others. Your work in this ever-changing field of worksite wellness has helped hundreds of organizations across Massachusetts to support the well-being of their people.
The last two years have tested our well-being in ways none of us ever could have imagined. Despite the challenges brought on by the pandemic, there have been countless organizations that are truly committed to their workforce, and continue to invest in ways to make everyone feel supported and cared for.
Global reports on well-being trends show a dramatic shift away from thinking about well-being as an employee benefit, to creating a holistically “healthy” organization. The Josh Bersin Company, which focuses on HR and workforce trends and issues, released a research study on the factors involved in creating a healthy organization — job and work design, management, rewards practices, a demonstrated commitment to psychological safety and fairness, and a culture of employee listening. A people-centric approach to all work is the foundation of every healthy organization, and organizations that take such a holistic approach to well-being see significant business results.
As we honor our first 10 years, we also look forward with excitement to the vision of our future.
WWCMA set the foundation in 2021 by establishing partnerships with two national wellness organizations that will help us achieve our vision of a holistic and systematic approach to workforce well-being, and create a sense of community and connection within the industry that becomes a model for other wellness councils across the country.
WWCMA has partnered with the National Wellness Institute (NWI) so that all WWCMA members have joint membership in that organization and can take advantage of NWI’s many tools and resources to help advance their own programs, along with the learning events and networking offered by our Council.
WWCMA also joined forces with Healthiest Employers, a trusted awards program that recognizes people-first organizations taking a proactive approach to employee health. Our partnership and the similarities between our award programs allow us to help each other accomplish our mutual goal of recognizing the best of the best employers committed to the well-being of their workforce.
These are our first steps toward a more holistic and systematic approach to employee well-being with a connected community where we can share, learn and innovate together. As we enter 2022 with new challenges and opportunities, our resilience may be tested, but we also will advance our knowledge and our ability to thrive in our workplaces and in our lives.
I invite you to join us on this exciting and essential journey!
Kristie Howard, CEBS, CWWPC
Board Chair